Electric signal for railroad-switches



(No Modem B. H. GEDGE.

ELEGTRIG SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD SWITCHES.- No. 344,100.

Patented June 22, 1886;

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

BURTON II. GEDGE, OF OOVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Applicationfiled February 25. 1886.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BURTON H. GEDGE, of Oovington, Kenton county,Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Signalsfor Railroad Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in those devices whereby theengineer of a train approaching a switch is warned if the switch isopen.

The object of my invention is to provide a device for this purpose morecertain and reliable in its operation than those heretofore in use.

My said device comprises an insulated conductor placed alongside of thetrack in ad vance of the switch ,and connected toground by opening thesame, and a battery and a bell on each locomotive included in an opencircuit, one of whose terminals connects with aforesaid conductor inpassing the same, the other terminal being, either intermittently orcontinually, connected to ground.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram in plan of arailroad-switch and adjacent port-ion of the tracks, with my device inoperation. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the track and the insulatedconductor and of the locomotive-cab, the latter, with its contained andattached electrical apparatus, being shown diametrically. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the insulated conductor. Fig. 4 is a section of thecontact-making device at the switch. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of oneof the brushes for making contact with the insulated conductoraforesaid. Figs. 6 and 7 show by diagrams a modification of theapparatus on the 1ocomotive,Fig.6showingits operation, and Fig. 7 thetrue positions of the parts.

A and A are the rails of the main track. B R are the rails of a trackleading across to another parallel track, or onto a siding, or onto adivergent road. T T are the movable switch-rails, establishing, whenopen, connection between said tracks. t is the connectingbar of saidswitch-rails, and S thelever for operating the same.

In advance of the switch, speaking as for a train about to run onto theswitch, there is 50 placed parallel to and alongside of the main track aconductor, B, insulated from the RAILROAD-SWITCHES.

(No model.)

ground, and supported on posts or standards 0, so as to be out of reachof snow. Said conductor is hung from arms 0, extending toward the trackfrom said posts, so as to leave its under side free for the engagementand contact therewith of brushes D D, secured to opposite sides of thelocomotive, and both connected to one terminal of an open circuit, whichincludes a battery, K, and bell L in the locomotive-cab, and whose otherterminal is connected to a box of the axle N, and thus, through the axleand its wheels, to theground. The conductor B is connected by a wire, U,insulated from the ground, with a contactplate, a, in the vicinity ofthe switch, and also insulated from the ground, preferably by beingattached to a wooden block, W, inclosed in a box, X, so as to beprotected from the weather. A metal plate, V, preferably resilient, isattached to the connecting-bar '15, or other moving part of theswitch-shifting mechanism in such manner as, when the switch is opened,as shown, to make contact with the plate a, thus connecting theconductor B to the track or ground, but, when the switch is closed, tobe separated from said plate, leaving the conductor B insulated fromthe'ground.

The conductor B may consist of a flat iron wire or band havingdownturned flanges I) at its edges for shedding water, and thuspreventing wetting and consequent rusting or coating with ice ofitsunder side,which would prevent contact therewith of the brushes D D.Each of the brushes D D is secured to the arm 9 of a lever,G,pivoted tothelocomotive-frame, and is forced upward by the pressure of a spiralspring, H, against the tail 9 of said lever, and is protected from theweather by a hood, I. The ends of the conductor B are turned up to formguides b. WVhen the locomotive, in approaching the switch, reaches theadvance end of said conductor, the guide b at that end engages with oneor other of the brushes D D, (according to whether the locomotive isheading forward or backward,) and leads it beneath the conductor,against which it is firmly held by the pressure of spring II. If theswitch is open, the contact of said brush and conductor completes thecircuit, and the bell L is rung,the current passing (in the direction ofthe arrows) as follows, if the parts are arranged as in Fig. 1: frompositive pole of battery K to brush D and conductor 13, thence throughwire U to contact-plate a, and from there through spring V to ground,from ground through wheels of axle N, the axle and its box, to bell L,through the bell, and thence to negative pole of battery.

The conductor B, with its grounding device U a V, may be used inconnection with apparatus on the locomotive, such as is used in thedevice invented by me (and for which application for patent has beenmade of even date herewith, Serial No. 193,197) for warning theengineers of two approaching trains when the latter come into dangerousproximity. Said apparatus is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and comprises abattery, K, and bell L, in an open circuit, with the brushes D D,connected to opposite terminals of said circuit through a four-wayswitch, M, which is operated by the reversing-lever, 'm, of the engine,

and whose reversal exchanges the brush-connections of the battery andbell. On the axle N is a commutator, O, which establishes alternateconnection through the axle and wheels to the ground from brushes P andP, con- ,nected to opposite terminals of the aforesaid open circuit.When the locomotive reaches the conductor B, one or other of the brushesD Dmakes contact therewith, and thus, if the railroad-switch is open,connects that terminal of the battery and bell circuit to ground, andthe other terminal being intermittently connected to ground by thecommutator, the bell L is rung intermittently, the current passing asshownby arrows. For an explanation of the operation of this device, inconnection with the danger-signal for approaching trains above referredto, reference may be made to aforesaid application.

The guide I) at the switchward end of the conductor B serves to lead thecorresponding brush D or D beneath the conductor when the train ismoving onto the main track A A from the siding or other track. Theobject of this is to prevent injury to the brush, and the signal whichis given, although of no use as a warning, constitutes a test of theworking condition of the apparatus.

Each of the brushes D D may consist of a bundle of wires, which is bentdouble, the terminal wire of the battery and bell circuit being insertedin the loopthus formed. The said bundle is then wrapped with someinsulating material, 11, and clamped between the arm 9 and an arm, Y,pivoted at one end to the arm g, and capable of being drawn toward saidarm at its other end by means of a set-screw, y.

The conductor B may be insulated from the ground in any suitable manner.For example, each of the arms 6 may constitute a rigid pro jection froma cap-piece, E, shaped like an inverted cup, which, having been filledwith a wooden block, F, is driven down onto the top of standard 0. v

I claim as new and of my invention In an electric signal for railroadswitches, the combination, with brushes D D, secured to opposite sidesof the locomotive and connected, through a four way switch, M, operatedby the reversi rig-lever of the engine, with the opposite terminals ofan open circuit including a battery, K, and bell L, and with acommutator, O, establishing intermittent and alternating connection withthe ground from said terminals, of an insulated conductor, B, placedalongside of the track in advance of the switch and connected to theground by opening the same, and adapted to make contact with one orother of said brushes on the passage of the latter, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth. r

In testimony of which invention lhereunto set my hand.

BURTON H. GEDGE. Witnesses:

A. P. KNIGHT, N. RooKHoLD.

